New term,. new start for lucky eight

 The start of term on Tuesday will signal a fresh start for eight young people who have been awarded free places at Happy House School.
They will join another 60 kids, living in impoverished circumstances, who have Dr Danwata Scholarships.

Mama Sue named the scheme in honour of Dr  Danwata, consultant oncologist at Blackpool Victoria Hospital and Rosemere Cancer Trust, as a thank you for the amazing care he had given her when she was treated for breast cancer.

The scheme was launched in 2014 with 14 students, they have been followed by other kids who have proven need and ability.

To their great joy, the eight new students passed an entrance examination and, provided they perform well, will have a secure education in our school.

This means the huge burden of educating them will e lifted from their parents all of whom struggle to feed their families. 

Their kids, even though in free Government schools where classes are up to 100+ pupils, were being sent home because they could not pay towards additional teachers or meet the cost of exams.

Mama, Uncle Billy and headteacher Mr Isaac met with the successful pupils and their parents.

With Uncle Billy translating, Mama congratulated them all and said how brilliant it would be for the children and for the parents.

She said the places came with responsibility, and were conditional on attendance and performance. Children were expected to do their very best, and it was each parent's duty to encourage and support their child and to attend any meeting they were called to, promptly.

In no uncertain terms she told them that under no circumstances were they ever to beat their children. If they were having any discipline problems at home with a child they should come to Happy House for advice from our social worker Billy.
 He would be able to suggest other, positive, ways of disciplining a child which are much more effective than controlling a child by fear.

She explained that each child would receive two sets of uniform, shoes, text books, meals and snacks.

Parents should supply exercise books and schoolbags if they could afford to.

Auntie Velma took the new Happy House kids off to see seamstress Lucy to be fitted with uniform from store, or measured if there was none to fit. and the man from Bata was there to measure them, and other Happy House kids, for new school shoes.

The excited kids tried on their smart new shirts, shorts or skirts and with all but two kitted out they went back to their parents. They will be back today for their shoes so that on Tuesday they will  be ready to take their first step on the road out of poverty and on to opportunity offered by our Happy House.
Please can you sponsor a scholarship child? It costs £20 a month to give a child a chance to be educated and make something of their life,  please email elizabethgomm@childrenofwatamu.net for details